Updated 9:33 pm, Tuesday, December 13, 2011

St. Joseph or Trinity Catholic? Trinity Catholic or St. Joseph?

Since last spring, when a pair of talent-laden programs coming off of state championships added impact transfers, everyone has conceded these two perennial powers would be on a collision course to compete for FCIAC and CIAC titles.

And as the season kicks off tonight, it is difficult to see someone else breaking through to the title game, though the assumed featured protagonists are taking nothing for granted.

"That's nice for people to say all this about us," Cadets coach Vito Montelli said. "But it doesn't count in the preseason."

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Behind St. Joseph and Trinity are an interesting pack of teams made common by an equal mix of potential and questions marks, all sharing the hope to prove that the current landscape is a mirage.

5 Teams To Watch

1. St. Joseph: Can the Cadets improve on their 21-2 finish and Class LL title? Montelli has one of the best inside-outside threats in Towson-bound Timajh Parker and guard James Jennings, while Diaomonte Zarba, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Berkshire (Mass.) Academy is an athletic slasher. St. Joseph has a lot of height and quality talent on the bench. Believe the hype.

2. Trinity Catholic: The Crusaders seemed headed for one of their worst seasons in recent memory, barely sneaking into the FCIAC Tournament as the No. 8 seed. Then they used a stunning opening-round upset of St. Joseph as the springboard to a Class M title run. Almost all of the major players, led by guard Schadrac Casimir, are back, and the addition of Jason Boswell, a 6-5 transfer from the storied St. Patrick program in New Jersey, should ensure that any postseason success this year will not come as a surprise.

3. Westhill: The Vikings may have the best chance to upset the St. Joseph-Trinity balance if a pair of ifs come through. If Chris Walters, who averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds, comes back strong from a knee injury that will cause him to miss the first month. And if Antwaun Boyd, who averaged 17.7 points and 6 rebounds, wins a medical hardship appeal from the CIAC on Thursday for an extra year of eligibility. Couple them with star point guard Tony Dobbinson and a good collection of role players, and you have a legitimate championship contender.

4. Bassick: Little is known about them at the start of each season, but you just assume they are dangerous. However, with 6-foot-7 standout forward Demetrius Thomas ineligible to start the season, the Lions may be hard-pressed to contend for the title.

5. Ridgefield. Danbury, Trumbull and Bridgeport Central: Any one of these teams could occupy this spot. We will go with the Tigers, who surprised everyone by clinching the No. 2 seed in the FCIAC Tournament a year ago. They have a question mark at point guard, but Kurt Steidl and Seth von Kuhn are a solid 1-2 punch.

Players to Watch

1. Jason Boswell, Trinity Catholic: Boswell is extremely athletic, good with the ball and should be one of the league's top rebounders. Coach Mike Walsh could put him almost anywhere on the court.

2. Schadrac Casimir, Trinity Catholic: Casimir stepped up during the Crusaders' run, and even more is expected from a player who can run the offense and is a threat from the outside.

3. Tony Dobbinson, Westhill: Dobbinson is the FCIAC's premier playmaker and the Vikings' calming influence. He also has a quick first step and can put the ball in the basket. He has gotten better each year, and the expectations this season are high.

4. Timajh Parker, St. Joseph: Coaches have been singing Parker's praises since he broke onto the scene and muscled his way into being one of the FCIAC's most dominant players in the paint. Expect Parker to draw a lot of company everywhere he goes.

5. Kurt Steidl, Ridgefield: The Tigers can use the 6-6 junior at guard or forward, and he is capable of stepping up his game to keep the Tigers among the league's top teams.

6. Diamonte Zarba, St. Joseph: Word is Zarba has a strong burst to the basket, can hit the open shot, rebounds well and can adjust his game to the personnel around him. That's a lethal combination of skills.

5 Games to Watch

1. St. Joseph vs. Archbishop Malloy (N.Y.). Dec. 27: Forget the game: how about having legends Jack Curran (937 wins) and Vito Montelli (853 wins) going against one another? "I've been trying to get him a couple of times, and for whatever reason this year it worked," Montelli said.

2. Trinity Catholic vs. New London, Dec. 27: This is supposed to be the undercard of the Northeast Classic. It could end up being the main event.

3. Bassick at Danbury, Jan. 3: The Hatters are considered a sleeper by many. This early-season game should provide insight into the two teams.

4. St. Joseph at Trinity Catholic, Jan. 10: Simply the most anticipated FCIAC regular season game.

5. Ridgefield at Westhill, Feb. 22: Assuming the Vikings have Boyd and Walters, this regular-season finale could have important seeding implications and provide a great lead-in to the postseason.